Wake up, Tourism Council!

Dave's picture
Submitted by Dave on Fri, 02/29/2008 - 1:25pm

I'm pasting here my letter to Fernan which appeared in Catanduanes Tribune. This is in relation to the news item regarding the opening of a tourism office in Manila. Thanks Fernan.

I like the idea of a trade and tourism office in Manila. In Thailand, far-flung provinces with tourism potentials have offices in Bangkok. In fact, these provinces have offices in the main railroad hub in Bangkok! The Manila office will facilitate trade of our local products and will showcase the tourism potential of our province. Great!

But... how long can a tourist stay in the province without being bored? Tell me!

If you are a tourist with $1,000.00, will you just spend that sitting in your hotel in Virac?

Here is the deal. I propose that the Tourism Council, after it wakes up from deep slumber, start with... at least... at least... coming up with a post card. Did you notice that I have not seen a shirt with at least "Catanduanes" written on it, if our Tourism Council cannot yet organize a name to the likes of "Dinahit Festival"!!! Shame that Pandan has come up with a tourism activity while our Tourism Council still believes that the Catandungan Festival is a tourism activity!

We have lots of cultural, religious and civic activities which can be packaged by our tourism council so private enterprises like the "van for rent" posted in www.catanduanesforum.com, local kitchen, resorts, hotels, rooms and lodging houses will benefit from tourism. Talk about fiestas!

What about organizing our local mountaineering groups to organize, say, hiking along the Bato river towards Coripdas in San Miguel? And kayaking back from Coripdas to Bato? How about bird-watching activities... surfing in Puraran... hiking along the Mayngaway river to San Isidro? How about trips to our beautiful falls? For heaven's sake there are heaps of beaches around the island!!! And have they not seen the magnificent view of Hiyop, Pandan? What about a tribute to the gem of Lourdes mountain... the Parway falls? A boat ride to Panay! Have we forgotten the historical value of the Batalay Shrine in Bato? Why can't we invite more devotees to Batong Paluway!!!! For heaven's sake... PROVINCIAL TOURISM COUNCIL!!! WAKE UP!!! STAND UP!!! Do something!!! I feel nasasayang ang sakong tax money!!!

Well, anyway, that Manila office will have more meaning if our Provincial Tourism Council will improve their imagination and not blame things on "no funds available"!

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Hiking along Mayngaway river to San Isidro!

Submitted by melstan on Wed, 03/19/2008 - 9:21pm.

Hi Dave! Your mentioning of hiking along Mayngaway river to San Isidro has brought out a lot of memories. more than 20 years ago along with a friend from manila, we joined the group of fr. borre, who was the priest then assigned at the parish of Manambrag, in hiking along the mayngaway river until we reach a beautiful and enchanting falls after san isidro. not used to hiking long distance, it took me and my friend longer time to reach the place, but boy oh boy...when we saw the falls, wow... it took the tiredness away from us and the cool cascading waters of the falls refreshes us. that was one fantastic day of experience i can't forget. of course, hiking along the mayngaway river was an experience in itself... along the way you experience the hospitality of the people living in the area. every house we passed by would offer us something to eat,, linandag na mais, kamote, bayawas, butong, etc.. how i wish i can re trace the trail....

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catanduanes will always be in my heart!

creativity and belt-tightening

cai's picture
Submitted by cai on Tue, 03/04/2008 - 1:09pm.

i completely disagree with people who think that creativity needs to suffer due to the lack of funding or financial support. of course, if you have the financial muscle, you will be able to do more but if you have more than enough creativity, i believe that your financial position is irrelevant.

having said that, i think the tourism council should stop thinking of the peso sign as a limitation but rather an opportunity. while it is true that catanduanes does not have enough funds to position itself as another monte carlo or macau or las vegas, having a tourism council which is able to maximize its resources would prove to be more valuable in the long-run. look at Camsur, it has positioned itself as a water sports haven and look at albay, which has positioned itself as an environment-friendly destination. they never had this "identity" before but now, they're making heaps of progress due to this acquired identity. and i don't think becoming who they are now cost them that much.

the tourism council should take the lead in re-inventing catanduanes as more than a province that is usually visited by typhoons, more than a province that produces 80 percent of the country's abaca...not only as a marketing strategy but as a means to encourage Catandunganons to think differently about their surroundings and maybe acquire a more positive sense of self in the process. perception, at times, could mean everything.

many of us, particularly those in the godforsaken places in catanduanes, think that nothing positive is going to happen to our lives and that we should just continue existing without living. but what we do not realize is that its this attitude that is "killing" catanduanes and diminishing its potentials.

we need to shift our focus on who we want to be and what we can offer. and the tourism council can do so much to make this happen. i hope they will wake up soon because, again, it doesn't cost much to do great things, but it sure takes a huge amount of creativity.

p.s. i am willing to offer my writing services pro bono, should the council need it.

Wake up

greenroomvirac's picture
Submitted by greenroomvirac on Fri, 02/29/2008 - 3:52pm.

Dave well said,there are so many things to do on our island but it is not promated at all. There was 10 people who did a course in tourism through the dot but we could not find one of them.We took some tourist to luyang cave san andres what a hassle.The mayor wanted to come along,we booked on a tuesday but he was not avail so the next day it was.He arrived with body guards,and invited my guests back to colobon,but we went straight to puraran as they wanted to tour around not meet mayors.We wanted to employ one of these people with knowledge of our island,to help us run tours but where are they.We welcome anyone who has ideas ect to contact us as we together can help each other.Also any one making abbaca product ie bags papper ect please contact our shop as we interest in displaying your goods.Mountaineering groups please visit our shop and lets make a plan to take visitors on a hike ect.